Device for shortening and/or cuffing pant legs and methods of making and using same

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure provides devices for embellishing or adjusting the length of pant legs and/or sleeves of clothing items, and methods of making and using same.

PRIORITY CLAIM

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 62/190,299, filed Jul. 9, 2015, the entire contents of whichare incorporated herein by reference and relied upon.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to devices for embellishing or adjustingthe length of pant legs and/or sleeves of clothing items.

BACKGROUND

Some clothing items do not proportionally fit on many consumers. This isespecially true for clothing items for infants and toddlers. Forexample, many items are too long in the legs or sleeves, but otherwisefit properly. Long pant legs pose some safety/tripping risks duringwalking or running. Folding the excess length can provide some temporaryimprovement, but the resulting cuffs eventually unfold. It is desirableto have clothing that fits properly without the cost and inconvenienceof permanently altering clothing item, such as by a tailor. For example,a temporary yet secure means of adjusting pant leg length will enableuse of some clothing items through many stages of a child's growth whileavoiding tripping risk. The need for an improved device for providingadjustable pant leg and/or sleeve length is therefore needed.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure provides a method and device for shortening thelength of a pant leg or a sleeve. In some embodiments, the device alsoprovides a cuff on the pant leg or sleeve, optionally having acontrasting style (e.g., color, texture and/or pattern) than theclothing item. In some embodiments, the device comprises a semi rigidelastic band covered in fabric, wherein the fabric has a length thatenables it to be folded with and over the distal end of a pant leg orsleeve. In one embodiment, the semi rigid elastic band providesincreased stiffness relative to the remaining portion of the device, butis not inflexible. Viewed another way, in one embodiment the cuff is asleeve or tube of fabric that is at least partially elastic andconfigured to be secured over a distal end of a pant leg or sleeve. Insome embodiments, the fabric is not itself elastic and an elastic bandis sewn into or otherwise secured to the sleeve. In some embodiments,the fabric comprises no integral elastic band and no semi-rigid portion.The stylish fabric can vary in length, color, style, and texturedepending on consumers' desires and intended purpose (simply shorteningpant legs, style, etc . . . ). In some embodiments, the device has alength sufficient to allow a child to wear a pair of pants over severalstages of youth by enabling successive adjustments of the length of thepant legs as the child grows over time.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a device foradjusting the length of a pant leg or shirt sleeve, the devicecomprising a sleeve of material having a first end and a second endopposite the first end, and an elastic or semi-rigid portion at thefirst end for securing the device to the pant leg or shirt sleeve.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method foradjusting a length of a pant leg or a shirt sleeve, the methodcomprising sliding a first end of a sleeve of material over a distal endof the pant leg or shirt sleeve, shortening the length of the pant legor shirt sleeve by rolling the distal end of the pant leg or shirtsleeve away from the distal end on itself, and folding the second end ofthe sleeve of material over the rolled distal end of the pant leg orshirt sleeve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a pair of devices for shortening the length of a pant legor a sleeve consistent with one embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows a device for shortening the length of a pant leg associatedwith a pant leg, consistent with one embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 3 shows a device for shortening the length of a pant leg associatedwith a pant leg, and after the pant leg has been rolled or folded uponce compared to the view shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 shows a device for shortening the length of a pant leg associatedwith a pant leg, and after the distal end of the device has been pulledup past a rolled or folded distal portion of the pant leg, for examplein a step subsequent to the view shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 shows a device for shortening the length of a pant leg associatedwith a pant leg, and in the process of the distal end of the devicebeing pulled over the rolled or folded distal portion of the pant leg,for example in a step subsequent to the view shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 shows a device for shortening the length of a pant leg associatedwith a pant leg, and after the distal end of the device has been pulledover the rolled or folded distal portion of the pant leg, for example ina step subsequent to the view shown in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 shows two embodiments of semi rigid elastic bands suitable foruse in a device according to the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a device for shortening the length ofa pant leg or a sleeve, especially showing the semi rigid elastic bandportion located between two layers of material consistent with oneembodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring generally to FIGS. 1-8, the present disclosure provides adevice 100 for adjusting the length of a pant leg or a sleeve of aclothing item P. In some embodiments, the device comprises a sleeve ofmaterial 10 and an elastic or semi-rigid portion 20 at one end 30 of thesleeve of material 10.

In some embodiments, the sleeve of material 10 is a sleeve or tube offabric. The sleeve or tube of fabric can vary in color, style, andtexture to meet consumers' desires. In some embodiments, the color,style and/or texture of the fabric is chosen to contrast with thearticle of clothing on which it will be applied. In some embodiments,the fabric has either the same or different color, style and/or textureon either side.

In some embodiments, the device includes a semi-rigid portion 20 at oneend 30. For example, in one embodiment, the sleeve of material 10includes a reinforcement band 50 at one end 30. In another embodiment,the sleeve of material 10 includes multiple layers of the fabric 20 atone end 30, for example formed by folding over one end of the fabric oneor more times. In one embodiment, the device includes a semi-rigidportion 20 as described above at both ends 30, 40. In some embodiments,the entire device 100 comprises semi-rigid fabric or material 10.

In some embodiments, the fabric 10 has a diameter or width W thatenables the device to fit snugly around the pant leg or shirt sleeve. Insome embodiments, the diameter or width W is adjustable. For example,the device 10 may include an elastic portion 50 adhered to one end 30 ofthe sleeve of material. In some embodiments, the elastic portion 50 isadhered to the inner surface of the sleeve of material 10. In someembodiments, the elastic portion 50 extends over the entire length ofthe device 100 or over a substantial portion of the length of the device10. In other embodiments, the elastic portion 50 extends over only asmall portion of the device 100, such as less than the length of a cuffformed by the distal portion P′ of the pant leg or sleeve P after it hasbeen rolled on itself. In some embodiments, the device 100 is free of anelastic portion 50 or semi-rigid portion 20 altogether.

In some embodiments, the device 100 has a length L sufficient to coverthe distal end P′ of the pant leg or sleeve P after it has been rolledon itself one or more times. In other embodiments, the device 100 has alength L sufficient to cover the semi-rigid portion 20 of the sleeve ofmaterial (e.g., the length L is about twice the width of the elasticband 50 or semi-rigid portion 20 of the device 100).

In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a device 100 foradjusting the length L of a pant leg or shirt sleeve P, the device 100comprising a sleeve of material 10 having a first end 30 and a secondend 40 opposite the first end 30, and an elastic 50 or semi-rigidportion 20 at the first end 30 for securing the device 100 to the pantleg or shirt sleeve P. In some embodiments, the sleeve of material 10further comprises a decorative element 60. In some embodiments, theelastic 50 or semi-rigid portion 20 is an elastic band 50. In someembodiments, the device 100 covers a distal end P′ of the pant leg orshirt sleeve P when the pant leg or shirt sleeve P is shortened byrolling the pant leg or shirt sleeve P away from the distal end P′ onitself. In some embodiments, the sleeve 10 comprises at least twomaterials having different decorative elements 60, 62.

The present disclosure also provides methods of embellishing orshortening a pant leg or a shirt sleeve P. In some embodiments, theelastic 50 or semi-rigid portion 20 of a device 100 as disclosed hereinis slid over the distal end P′ of a pant leg or a shirt sleeve P.Optionally, the edge 30 of the device 100 is aligned with the distaledge P″ of the pant leg or shirt sleeve P while the opposite edge of thedevice 40 is extended up the pant leg or shirt sleeve P (e.g., away fromthe distal edge P″ of the pant leg or the shirt sleeve P). In someembodiments, the distal edge P″ of the pant leg or shirt sleeve P isfolded or rolled away from the distal edge P″ (e.g., inverted) at leastonce, optionally twice or more than twice, to form a cuff. After thisstep, in some embodiments, a portion 25 of the device 100 extends pastthe cuff away from the distal edge P″ of the pant leg or shirt sleeve P.In some embodiments, the portion 25 of the device extending past thecuff is then folded over the cuff.

In some embodiments, the method comprises sliding a first end 30 of asleeve of material 10 (e.g., a sleeve of material 10 of a device 100 asdisclosed herein) over a distal edge P″ of the pant leg or shirt sleeveP, shortening the length of the pant leg or shirt sleeve P by rollingthe distal edge P″ of the pant leg or shirt sleeve P away from thedistal edge P″ on itself, and folding the second end 40 of the sleeve ofmaterial 100 over the rolled distal portion P′ of the pant leg or shirtsleeve P. In some embodiments, the step of shortening the length of thepant leg or shirt sleeve P further comprises rolling the rolled pant legor shirt sleeve away from the distal edge P″ on itself a second time. Insome embodiments, the sleeve of material 10 comprises an elastic band 50at the first end 30. In some embodiments, the sleeve of material 10further comprises a decorative element 60. In some embodiments, thesleeve of material 10 comprises at least two materials having differentdecorative elements 60, 62. In some embodiments, the step of sliding thefirst end 30 of the sleeve of material 10 over the distal edge P″ of thepant leg or shirt sleeve P comprises aligning the distal end 30 of thesleeve 10 with the distal edge P″ of the pant leg or shirt sleeve P. Insome embodiments, the pant leg or shirt sleeve P is a shirt sleeve.

In some embodiments, the method comprises inserting a sleeve of material10 (e.g., a sleeve of material 10 of a device 100 as disclosed herein)inside a pant leg or a shirt sleeve P, optionally aligning the distaledge P″ of the pant leg or shirt sleeve P with the first end 30 of thesleeve of material 10, and rolling the pant leg or shirt sleeve P upwith the sleeve of material 10 to expose the sleeve of material 10.

In other embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method ofreinforcing a cuff formed in a distal portion P′ of a pant leg or ashirt sleeve P. In some embodiments, the method comprises rolling orfolding a device 100 as disclosed herein, and thereafter sliding therolled or folded device 100 over the distal portion P′ of the pant legor the shirt sleeve P. In some embodiments, the distal portion P′ of thepant leg or the shirt sleeve P is then rolled or folded over the device100 to form a cuff.

1. A device for adjusting the length of a pant leg or shirt sleeve, thedevice comprising: a sleeve of material having a first end and a secondend opposite the first end; and an elastic or semi-rigid portion at thefirst end for securing the device to the pant leg or shirt sleeve. 2.The device of claim 1, wherein the sleeve of material further comprisesa decorative element.
 3. The device of claim 1, wherein the elastic orsemi-rigid portion is an elastic band.
 4. The device of claim 1, whereinthe device covers a distal end of the pant leg or shirt sleeve when thepant leg or sleeve is shortened by rolling the pant leg or shirt sleeveaway from the distal end on itself.
 5. The device of claim 2, whereinthe sleeve comprises at least two materials having different decorativeelements.
 6. A method for adjusting a length of a pant leg or a shirtsleeve, the method comprising: sliding a first end of a sleeve ofmaterial over a distal end of the pant leg or shirt sleeve; shorteningthe length of the pant leg or shirt sleeve by rolling the distal edge ofthe pant leg or shirt sleeve away from the distal edge on itself; andfolding the second end of the sleeve of material over the rolled distaledge of the pant leg or shirt sleeve.
 7. The method of claim 6, whereinthe step of shortening the length of the pant leg or shirt sleevefurther comprises rolling the rolled pant leg or shirt sleeve away fromthe distal edge on itself a second time.
 8. The method of claim 6,wherein the sleeve of material comprises an elastic band at the firstend.
 9. The method of claim 6, wherein the sleeve of material furthercomprises a decorative element.
 10. The method of claim 6, wherein thesleeve of material comprises at least two materials having differentdecorative elements.
 11. The method of claim 6, wherein the step ofsliding the first end of the sleeve of material over the distal edge ofthe pant leg or shirt sleeve comprises aligning the distal end of thesleeve with the distal edge of the pant leg or shirt sleeve.
 12. Themethod of claim 6, wherein the pant leg or shirt sleeve is a shirtsleeve.
 13. The method of claim 6, wherein the pant leg or shirt sleeveis a pant leg.